Saturday, 28 February 2009

Just got tipped off by Yumeko, who writes the awesome BittenBefore blog that there is a new Japanese magazine out called Swak (for "Sealed With A Kiss") that comes with a Jill by Jill Stuart tote bag. This is the inaugural issue and features popular model Rinka, former spokesmodel for Aube, on the cover. It is now available at Kinokuniya in Ngee Ann City for S$15.50! Just picked up my copy today at noon. There were about 20 copies and it's placed in the section with other mooks from Topshop, Cher, Paul & Joe, Bape.

The magazine is also available on Amazon Japan for 680yen (not including shipping).

Kinokuniya has also brought in the new Cath Kidston Mook which comes with a floral print tote bag! But this is more pricey at S$31 as the Japanese retail price is higher at 1365yen compared to 680yen for the Swak mag. The bag is made of cloth, whereas the Swak bag is made of canvas. Kino has the bags on display in a glass cabinet near the Japanese comics section.

Coffret D'Or has just launched its Spring/Summer '09 new base makeup collection in Japan, including this gorgeous limited edition powder foundation case! This is the loveliest case that I've seen from Coffret D'Or to date, love how the letters are arranged amidst the star pattern!

Please note that the pics are from a Yahoo Japan auction and are not mine.

The cases usually retail for 1050yen each. Unfortunately, the Coffret D'Or base makeup line is not available in Singapore so the only way of getting it is by ordering it online or asking a friend who's going to Japan to help you buy it.

The Maquillagewebsite has been updated with the new Spring/Summer'09 base makeup collection.

New ad visual featuring actress Ryoko Shinohara. You can also watch the 15-second TV CM on the website for the new Lasting Powdery UV Foundation, which is touted as capable of lasting 8 hours. Other new products include Styling Keep Base UV, Concealer Stick EX and Pore Perfect Cover.

And if you miss former Maquillage spokesmodel Ito Misaki, do check out her TV CM for Shiseido's whitening skincare brand, Haku. The ad visual makes her look stern and humorless but the TV CM is much more visually arresting.

If you're still waiting impatiently for the Singapore launch of the new Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus, from the spring '09 collection Girly Erotica, I'm afraid you will have to wait almost another month. According to yesterday's issue of Urban in the Straits Times, the collection will launch here only on 26 March.

Also, do check out my buddy, Fleckenschnittte's reviews of the collection on her wonderful blog, Lotus Palace!

The Stila x Barbie is set to be launched on 13 March in Japan, which is getting different items from the US release. Instead of the 4 paint can sets, Japan will get only the Pony Tail paint can set, plus the following items:

Thursday, 26 February 2009

It's been a strange week for me with a weird onset of sensitivity in my skin that I usually get when I'm about to get a fever or flu. I did get slightly feverish on some mornings but managed to suppress it with regular doses of Panadol. Also almost got a bad sore throat but fought that off with several bottles of Coke Zero (hey it works...) and Strepsils.

But I couldn't find a cure for the debilitating lethargy that I was feeling. It was so bad that I couldn't even be bothered to put on makeup some days for work. I was not feeling any inspiration for beauty blogging, to the extent that I even flirted briefly with shutting down the blog. Except that my boyfriend, who proudly declares himself to be my biggest fan, protested vehemently :-)

Anyway, finally worked up the energy to resume blogging today and thought I'd end off with some random musings.

A good day is when:

1. I get new fragrance lemmings to look forward to. Current ones on my list: Vera Wang Rock Princess (due out in April, I want this for the gothic bottle alone!) and Kate Moss Summer Time (also out in April; with notes of English rose, peony, wisteria, bluebell, mahogany wood, tonka bean, and musk). Rock Princess has notes of white peach, raspberry, bergamot, heliotrope, rose, night-blooming jasmine, lily, cashmere woods, musk, iris and creamy coconut.

2. I learn that my three favourite musicians are all putting out new albums within the next 2 months: Tori Amos, Jewel and Kelly Clarkson. I've spent whole afternoons just listening to Kelly Clarkson's My Life Would Suck Without You online non-stop. Big cheesy irresistible sing-your-heart-out pop, I likey!

3. I get a new issue of UK Glamour, Allure, Smitten, Style or some Japanese magazine with a cute freebie. I'm a total magazine junkie with no patience or interest to read books anymore. The last books that I read were the Twilight and Harry Potter series, which I thoroughly enjoyed (Harry Potter much more than Twilight, which was just cringe-inducing juvenile at parts).

4. When there is a new episode of Battlestar Galactica. Only four more to go though. BSG breaks your heart and just when you think it can't break anymore, they find a new way to shatter it some more.

5. When I get out to go out to a place like this on a work day instead of being cloistered in my cubicle.

You can now view the new Esprique Precious TV ad at the official website for the Dramatical Stay UV Pact EX powder foundation. In the ad, Karen Elson walks through a crowded train that then links into a bustling restaurant kitchen. I guess the ad is meant to show that the foundation holds up flawlessly under any kind of conditions!

The ad visual looks generic and not particularly impressive. Instead of playing up Elson's quirky beauty, they've made her look impossibly bland. Yawn.... next.

Jill Stuart will release a Pure Brightening Care Powder SPF15 PA++ (5250yen) on 20 March in Japan. It is touted as a skincare powder that helps to prevent acne, provide sun protection, oil control and skin brightening benefits.

Instead of the usual floral charm, this comes with a cute berry charm and has a sweet fruity floral scent. It also contains extracts of peppermint and raspberry, strawberry juice and Vitamin C.

I picked up the new April issue of With yesterday at Kinokuniya, mainly for the Jill by Jill Stuart 2009 diary. The magazine is mainly focused on casual, feminine fashion that's mostly a snoozefest for me.

The diary runs from April 2009 to March 2010. It has a glossy cover with fairly plain white pages inside. Definitely not a must-have but it does make a handy notebook for, say, tracking monthly purchases.

The Jill by Jill Stuart clothing is not impressive at all, especially considering the prices, and looks much plainer compared to the main Jill Stuart line. For example, the pink dress is 16,800 yen (S$262; US$171) while the orange blouse is 10,500yen.

Some cute bangles and rings but again quite pricey at 5250yen for the rings and 6300yen-9975yen for the bangles.

The mag retails for S$16.40 but I got a 10% discount with my Kino card as usual.

You know times are getting bad when department stores start sending you vouchers. Here's the latest to land in my mailbox from Robinsons. The $5 vouchers are with any $30 purchase of virtually everything in the store, including cosmetics and fragrance.

Robinsons will be running a Super Savers campaign on 4-22 March with tons of beauty offers. For example, Kenzoki is giving away a full-size Enveloping Velvety Wash worth $43 with any purchase. The Clarins value set with the Pure Melt Cleansing Gel also looks like a great deal. During this period, all toiletries and health supplements, plus L'Oreal, Maybelline, ZA Cosmetics, Revlon and Bourjois will be 20% off.